


Burned Down

by Gelphie_Supercorp_Emisue_etc17



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, I might add elmax later on but idk yet, Minor Swearing, Sorry Not Sorry, also they're just so cute, because it's hopper, he didn't die, honestly there aren't many tags needed i dont think, hopper is alive and well, joyce and him have to share a room lol, joyce has ptsd i think, the cabin is gone, they all do, yeah that's pretty much it for now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22659322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelphie_Supercorp_Emisue_etc17/pseuds/Gelphie_Supercorp_Emisue_etc17
Summary: When the cabin is destroyed by the Mind Flayer, Joyce and Hopper are left to pick up the pieces. And by that, I mean that they have to share a room in Joyce's house.
Relationships: Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	Burned Down

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I came up with later minute haha  
> Hope you guys like it (because we all know Hop isn't dead)

“Damn it!”  


“What? Oh. . .” Joyce muttered, looking around at all of the wreckage that was what was left of the cabin. The Mind Flayer had destroyed the place where Hopper and Eleven had made a life for themselves, leaving almost nothing but splintered wood, torn up curtains and a few mangled metal strips. Joyce used her toe to overturn what she suspected was a piece of a bed or chair, shuddering slightly. “I don’t know Hop,” she looked to him, a smirk gracing her lips. “What is there to fix?”  


Hopper shot the shorter woman a glare. “Shut up Joyce.”  


“What am I doing?” Joyce asked, feigning surprise and haughtiness before letting her tone soften again. “All I’m saying is that rebuilding this is going to take time and money that we don’t have.”  


“We?” he asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. Joyce returned the gesture, which almost immediately broke his walls. “Okay, I’m sorry. I know we’re doing this together, but sometimes it’s just hard for me to keep that in mind. It’s been so long since I’ve asked for help, you know?”  


There was a pause before Joyce nodded slowly, the air between the two of them suddenly thick with anxiety and sadness. “I do.”  


Hopper uncrossed his arms and slung one over Joyce’s shoulders, holding her tight. Almost as if to keep all of the bad memories and feelings away from her. “I’m sorry.”  


“You don’t have to keep saying that, Hop,” Joyce giggled half-heartedly.  


“I know,” he replied, not looking at her, but at the rubble. “But I am.”  


The short brunette didn’t have an answer to that, mostly because she felt that exact same way. This had all started when Will had gone missing, and, although she was correct to call the police, Joyce couldn’t help blaming herself for getting Hopper involved. She knew that she couldn’t handle it on her own, and at the same time, it was her fault that Hopper was put in the position he was in now. Yes, El had a home—or, used to have a home—and everyone was safe for now, but that didn’t mean that she hadn’t put them both in the position that made them both kill a man. Sometimes Joyce still felt the weight of that gun in her hands, Alexi’s blood staining the front of her shirt and the knees of her jeans. She hated that she had to do that, and hated that she had gotten her best friend involved. It wasn’t fair to him and—  


“Joyce.”  


Hopper’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Y-yes?” Joyce stumbled over her words, realizing that she was crying. Crystal tears were tracking their way down her face, the early autumn air chilling her to the bone.  


“You’re shaking,” he informed her, turning to face her and putting both of his hands on each of her shoulders. Joyce sniffled, everything that had happened to her in the past two years suddenly crashing down. “Hey, hey. . . it’s okay, Joycie. You’re safe, the kids are safe and I’m safe. Will is at Mike’s house with everyone, and Johnathan is with Nancy at a movie. Everything is okay. Nothing to worry about,” his eyes were wide, Hopper trying his hardest to calm Joyce down. The last thing he wanted was to see his best friend scared and in tears, feeling alone. “Shhh, I’m right here. You are not alone, Joyce Byers, I promise.”  


Her tears had started to fall faster, and, even as hard as Joyce was trying to stop them, she just couldn’t. She hadn’t cried in so long, it seemed. You’d think that it would be a regular thing for someone with as much shit as she had, but no. Joyce couldn’t remember the last time she actually let her tears fall, and if she was being honest, it felt good to let her emotions out. Even if it hurts at the same time.  


“Why does it feel like that then, Hopper? Why do I feel so alone all the time?! I can’t talk to anyone about it, and I can’t let the kids see me like this, so I bottle it up until it gets to be too much. What do I do then, huh Jim?!” she screamed, pulling away from his grip, and immediately missing the taller man’s warmth. Her tears were hot and fast-flowing, making it so that she couldn’t really see through them. Sobs wracked her body, causing Joyce to curl up into herself to try and keep them under control. “What happens then. . .” Joyce repeated, her tone losing its fire and dropping so far that Hopper almost couldn’t hear her at all.  


But he did.  


“Joyce,” he said firmly, wrapping her in another hug and resting his chin gently on top of her head. Hopper could feel her shake in his arms, her sobs so heartbreaking that it hurt him to hear. “I wish I could take your pain away. I know that you feel guilty about this whole situation, but you shouldn't. I chose to take Will’s case and continue to help you and be with you. None of this is your fault Joyce, you have to believe me,” Hopper felt her sobs subsiding somewhat. He smiled softly. “Hell, if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s that damned Demogorgons.”  


This caused Joyce to laugh, which was followed quickly by a hiccup. She pulled back from Hopper’s chest to stare at his face, tracing every line in his face and smile. “I couldn't do this without you, you know that Hop?”  


Hopper cupped her face in his hands, nodding and wiping Joyce’s tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “I know. I couldn’t do thi without you.”  


“Oh shut up,” she joked, slapping his arm and stepping away again. Joyce made sure to shoot him a grin before turning away fully. “Now,” she noted, hands on her hips as she studied the wreckage once again. “Seeing as this is irreparable for the time-being, I think you and El should stay with me and the boys. El can bunk with Will and I’m sure we can find something for you,” Joyce turned her head to look at him, smiling softly, her eyes full of embarrassment. “Sorry.”  


“It’s fine, I know that you’ll have something after all of that shopping you did two years ago,” he joked, referencing her Christmas lights spree. “Other than that, it sounds like a plan,” Hopper replied, returning her grin. “If it’s okay with everyone, that is.”  


“I think it is.”  


“Well then, let’s head home, Joycie.”  


Joyce rolled her eyes, but was unable to hide her smirk. “Shut up and get in the car, Hop.”  
This caused them both to laugh, hook arms and walk back to the car.

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter should be up soon! :)
> 
> sorry that this was kinda short btw, the next one should be a bit longer


End file.
